In the last decade a revolution has occurred in the way that
scientists think about the brain. We now know that the decisions humans
make can be traced to the firing patterns of neurons in specific parts
of the brain. These discoveries have led to the field known as neuroeconomics,
which studies the brains secrets to success in an economic environment
that demands innovation and being able to do things differently from
competitors. A brain that can do this is an iconoclastic one. Briefly,
an iconociost is a person who does something that others say can't he
done.

This definition implies that iconoclasts are different from other
people, but more precisely, it is their brains that are different in
three distinct ways: perception, fear response, and social intelligence.
Each of these three functions utilizes a different circuit in the
brain. Naysayers might suggest that the brain is irrelevant, that
thinking in an original, even revolutionary. way is more a matter of
personality than brain function. But the held of neuroeconomics was born
out of the realization that the physical workings of the brain place
limitations on the way we make decisions. By understanding these
constraints, we begin to understand why some people march to a different
drumbeat.

The first thing to realize is that the brain suffers from limited
resources. It has a fixed energy budget, about the same as a 40 watt
light bulb, so it has evolved to work as efficiently as possible. This
is where most people are impeded from being an iconoclast. For example,
when confronted with information streaming from the eyes, the brain will
interpret this information in the quickest way possible. Thus it will
draw on both past experience and any other source of information, such
as what other people say, to make sense of what it is seeing. This
happens all the time. The brain takes shortcuts that work so well we are
hardly ever aware of them. We think our perceptions of the world are
real, but they are only biological and electrical rumblings. Perception
is not simply a product of what your eyes or ears transmit to your
brain. More than the physical reality of photons or sound waves,
perception ls a product of the brain.

Perception is central to iconoclasm. Iconoclasts see things
differently to other people. Their brains do not fall into efficiency
pitfalls as much as the average person’s brain. iconoclasts, either
because they were born that way or through learning, have found ways to
work around the perceptual shortcuts that plague most people. Perception
ls not something that is hardwired into the brain. It is a
learned process, which is both a curse and an opportunity for change.
The brain faces the fundamental problem of interpreting physical stimuli
from the senses.

Everything the brain sees, hears, or touches has multiple
interpretations. The one that is ultimately chosen is simply the brain's
best theory. ln technical terms, these conjectures have their basis in
the statistical likelihood of one interpretation over another and are
heavily influenced by past experience and, importantly for potential
iconoclasts what other people say.

The best way to see things differently to other people is to
bombard the brain with things it has never encountered before. Novelty
releases the perceptual process from the chains of past experience and
forces the brain to make new judgments. Successful iconoclasts have an
extraordinary willingness to be exposed to what is fresh and different.
Observation of iconoclasts shows that they embrace novelty while most
people avoid things that are different.

The problem with novelty, however, is that lt tends to trigger the
brain's fear system. Fear is a major impediment to thinking like an
iconoclast and stops the average person in his tracks. There are many
types of fear, but the two that inhibit iconoclastic thinking and people
generally find difficult to deal with are fear of uncertainty and fear
of public ridicule. These may seem like trivial phobias. But fear ol
public speaking, which everyone must do from time to time, afflicts one
third of the population. This makes it too common to be considered a
mental disorder. It is simply a common variant of human nature, one
which iconoclasts do not let inhibit their reactions

Finally, to be successful iconoclasts, individuals must sell their
ideas to other people. This is where social intelligence comes in.
Social intelligence is the ability to understand and manage people in a
business setting. ln the last decade there has been an explosion of
knowledge about the social brain and how the braln works when groups
coordinate decision making. Neuroscience has revealed which brain
circuits are responsible for functions like understanding what other
people think, empathy, fairness, and social identity. These brain
regions play key roles in whether people convince others of their ideas.
Perception is important in social cognition too. The perception of
someone's enthusiasm, or reputation, can make or break a deal.
Understanding how perception becomes intertwined with social decision
making shows why successful iconoclasts are so rare.

Iconoclasts create new opportunities in every area from artistic
expression to technology to business They supply creativity and
innovation not easily accomplished by committees. Rules aren't important
to them. Iconoclasts face alienation and failure, but can also be a
major asset to any organization. It is crucial for success in any field
to understand how the iconoclastic mind works.

27. Neuroeconomics is a field of study which seeks to
A. cause a change in how scientists understand brain chemistry.
B. understand how good decisions are made in the brain.
C .understand how the brain is linked to achievement in competitive fields.
D. trace the specific firing patterns of neurons in different areas of the brain.

28. According to the writer, iconoclasts are distinctive because
A. they create unusual brain circuits.
B. their brains function differently.
C. their personalities are distinctive.
D. they make decisions easily.

29. According to the writer, the brain works efficiently because
A. it uses the eyes quickly.
B. it interprets data logically.
C. it generates its own energy.
D. it relies on previous events.

30. The writer says that perception is
A. a combination of photons and sound waves.
B. a reliable product of what your senses transmit.
C. a result of brain processes.
D. a process we are usually conscious of.

31. According to the writer an iconoclastic thinker
A. centralizes perceptual thinking in one part of the brain.
B. avoids cognitive traps.
C. has a brain that is hardwired for learning.
D. has more opportunities than the average person.

Questions 32-37
Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 53?
In boxes 32-37 on your answer sheet, write:

YES it the statement agrees with the claims of the writer NOit the statement contradicts the claims of the writerNOT GIVEN it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this

32. Exposure to different events forces the brain to think differently.
33. iconoclasts are unusually receptive to new experiences.
34. Most people are too shy to try different things.
35. If you think in an iconoclastic way, you can easily overcome tear.
36. When concern about embarrassment matters less, other fears become irrelevant.
37. Fear of public speaking is a psychological illness.

38. Thinking like a successful iconoclast is demanding because it
39. The concept of the social brain is useful to iconoclasts because it
40. Iconoclasts are generally an asset because their way of drinking
A. requires both perceptual and social intelligence skills.
B. focuses on how groups decide on an action.
C. works in many fields, both artistic and scientific.
D. leaves one open to criticism and rejection.
E. involves understanding how organizations manage people.